Aeroplane



May 29, 1928.

G. W. RAY

AEROPLANE s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1927 fn'ventar May 29-, 1928.

G. W. RAY

AEROPLANE Filed March 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllu 11 10w MN R 1/ Q 3 NNI/ m 1711 571 tor Geoye M Jfay,

plfmrngv May 29, 1928. 1 1,671,164

G. W. RAY

AEROPLANE Filed March 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 660 46 W. fay,

' vention lies in the provision Patented May 29, 1928 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. BAY, OF FORTY FORT, PENNSYLVANIA AEBOLPLANE.

- Application filed March .9, 1927. Serial No. 173,944.

principal object to providea plane of this.

nature which is easy to manoeuver for the purpose of ascending and descending in a, vertical line or at an incline, as may be desired.

Another very important object of the inof an aeroplane of this nature that may. be easily and conveniently controlled.

Another yery important object of the invention lies in the provision of an aeroplane operation,

of this nature which is comparatively safe since it'can be'regulated to function as a parachute for descending purposes.

A still further very important object of the invention lies in the provision of an aeroplane of this nature that is exceedingly simple in its construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, strong and durable, thoroughly efficient and reliable in and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above and numerous other oblfcts in view as will appear as the descripion proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation ofthe aeroplane embodying the features of my in? vention,

Figure 2 is a thereof;

Figure 3 is a top planview thereof,

Figure 4 is a detail section through the gyroscopic lifting member.

Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that the numeral 5 denotes four bars which radiate from a disk 6 and are connected with depending bars 6 by brace bracksectional front elevation -ets 7 and being further braced in respect thereto by guy wires 8. Two of the opposed bars 6 are connected intermediate their ends by a cross bar 9 extending transversely o the'aeroplane being held in place by brace brackets 10 .or in any other suitable man. ner. A shaft 11 is journaied in the disk 6 and in the bar 9. A hub 12 is'provided on the shaft 11 and has radiating therefrom fixed blades 14 connected at their outer .ends to an annular rim 15. A pair of hub member's 16 are fixed to the shaft 11 one adjacent shaft 33 that is connected with sha a universal coupling 34. A rudder 35 is disk 6 and another adjacent rod 9. A plu-h rality of guy wires extend from the hub members 16 to the annular rim 15 as is indicated at 7. As is shown to advantage in Figures 1 and 4, a leaf 18 is hingedly mounted as at 19 to each blade 14 on the upper edge thereof. These leaves 18 are limited in their movement between the lower edges of the next adjacent blades as is shown in Figure 1 or to the position underlapping their respective blades as in Figure 4. Guy wires 20 connect the ends of the respective bars 5 as is clearly shown in Figure 3. Braces 21 extend downwardly from points a slight distance from the center of the rod 9 to the lower endsof the rods 6. A pair of hangers 22 is disposed to one side of the center of the rod 9 adjacent the juncture therewith of the braces 21. Links 23 are swingably engaged with these hangers 22 and support a housing 24 which may swing in a longitudinal plane with the aeroplane. Guy wires 25 are engaged with the bottom of the housing 24 and are engaged with the side bars 6 adjacent the brackets 10 thereon. -Stabilizing vanes 28 and 29 extend tlO\\llW11(lly and incline outwardly in opposite directions from the longitudinal cross member 9 as is indicated toadvantage in Figure 2 and are braced by members 30 in respect to braces 21. A pair of engines 31 are mounted in the casing or housing 24 and have their crank shafts in alinement and are gearedas at 32 with a verticall rising hingedly mounted on the rear bar 6 and is operable by a link 36 and a lever 37 A link 38 is attached to the front bar 6 and to a lever 39 preferably located-within the housing. 24 so that the housing 24 may be swung to dispose the shaft 33 at an angle to the shaft 11 so that the aeroplane may ascend or descend at an incline and also for the purpose of making progress forwardly and rear wardly.

Bufi'er elements 40 extend downwardly f and outwardly from the bottom of the housmg 24 and similar buffer elements 41 extend downwardly and outwardly from the lower ends of the bars 6. The lower ends of the bars 6- are connected by guy wires 42.

From the above detailed description it will be seen that I have devised an aeroplane structure which is strong and durable'because of the bracing between'the various parts thereof. This aeroplane consists of comparatively few parts all of which are rather inexpensive to manufacture so that the whole may be manufactured at a reasonably low cost. The control of the aeroplane is very simple and almost obvious, When the shafts 11 and 33 are alined and the plates 14 are in operation, it will be seen thatv the leaves 18 willautomatically take the position shown in Figure 4 and the aeroplane will rise straight'up and the wings 28 and 29 will resist the torque or twist. If it is desired to go forwardly or rearwardly this may be accomplished by swinging the lever 39 to tilt the housing rearwardly or forwardly respectively. If the power plant should become out of order the plane will descend slowly because the blades will function as a parachute and these will takethe position shown in Figure 1 to prevent air from rushing between the blades.

As a further precaution against the machine rotating about its vertical axis, a shaft on and meshin shaft 50. A s aft 53 is journaled, in a is rotatable in brackets 51. The lower hub member 16 has a gear 16 formed therewith a pinion 52 on the amet the above'description. It will be apparent that numerous changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of .parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or semificing any of-th'eir advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is In an aeroplane, a power plant, means for suspending the power plant from the aeroplane in the manner of a pendulum, a gyroscopic member rotatable in the aeroplane, a drive shaft from the ower plant operativel'y connected with t e gyroscopic member, means for limiting the swinging of the power plant in a "single plane, means for swinging thepower plant for guiding the ascent and descent of the areoplane, means for guiding the.aeroplane, wings supported by the aeroplane longitudinally thereof and inclined outwardly in opposite directions to counteract the torque of the aeroplane.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' enonc'n- W. RAY. 

